{"id":29021,"date":"2025-08-15T11:25:36","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T03:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=oasis-news&p=29021"},"modified":"2025-08-15T11:25:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T03:25:40","slug":"avoid-these-email-fails-how-to-sound-professional-at-uni","status":"publish","type":"oasis-news","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/oasis-news\/avoid-these-email-fails-how-to-sound-professional-at-uni\/","title":{"rendered":"Avoid these email fails: How to sound professional at uni"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Reading time | 4 minutes\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Not sure how to start or sign off a uni email? This quick guide covers the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of professional communication. University isn\u2019t just about getting a degree. Throughout your degree you can prepare for the professional world. It gives you the opportunity to practise real-world skills now, without the higher stakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you’re emailing your tutor, applying for an internship or messaging a group for a class project, how you communicate matters. While uni life can feel relaxed at times, it\u2019s important to know when to switch gears. This guide will help you tailor your communication to different situations. Here\u2019s how to keep things respectful, polished and on point, without sounding like a robot, when professionalism calls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Always start with a greeting <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Try not to dive straight into your message; a proper greeting helps set a respectful tone. A quick \u201cHi Dr Smith,\u201d or \u201cHello Alex,\u201d shows that you\u2019ve taken a moment to acknowledge the person you\u2019re writing to. Avoid starting with \u201cHey\u201d (it\u2019s usually too casual), and consider how it might read if you open with just their name (it can come across as blunt or even a little rude). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Use your student email (and check it often!) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your student email tells staff you\u2019re contacting them officially. Avoid using your personal Gmail or something you made in primary school (we\u2019re looking at you, xxsillygalsally@hotmail.com). Also, make a habit of checking it daily, so you don’t miss important messages and communications. It\u2019s a requirement at Curtin to check your emails and official communications in OASIS, so make sure you stay on top of your notifications and keep up to date! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extra tip: Consider setting up an email signature with your full name, student number, and course. It helps staff know who you are at a glance and keeps your communication looking polished and professional.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Get to the point, but don\u2019t be blunt <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Be clear, succinct and polite. Say what you need, why you’re writing and include any relevant info like your unit code. Including the context of your email is important too; if you\u2019re emailing your tutor, make sure to specify your class and time to help them identify you quickly. Remember, your tutor may teach other classes of the same unit or have multiple students with the same name, so the more information, the better. For example: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cHi Dr Smith, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is John Adams from your COMS1000 class on Tuesdays at 9am. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m writing to ask if I can book a meeting with you to talk about upcoming assessment in Intro to Comms. I\u2019m struggling with academic essay structure and would love to get some advice.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Politeness never goes out of style, throw in a \u201cplease\u201d or \u201cthanks\u201d and you\u2019re golden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t leave the subject line blank <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The subject line is your email\u2019s headline. Keep it short but informative:\u00a0
Request for Extension – HIST2001 Essay (**STUDENTNUMBER**, Student Name)\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tutors and staff receive dozens (sometimes hundreds!) of emails every week. If your subject line is vague or missing, it can easily get lost in the pile or be overlooked. A clear, specific subject line helps the reader understand what your email is about before even opening it, and that means they\u2019re more likely to respond quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Sign off like a pro <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like a proper greeting sets the tone at the start, a polite sign-off wraps things up neatly and professionally. It\u2019s a small detail, but it leaves a good impression and makes it easier for staff to respond to your request. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try one of these professional sign-offs: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Kind regards\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Best wishes\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Sincerely\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Warm regards\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          This helps the recipient quickly identify who you are and find your information in the system without needing to ask for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          6. Proofread before you hit send <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Typos and small mistakes happen, but they\u2019re easy to avoid with a quick read-through. Take a moment to check your spelling, grammar and sentence structure before sending your email. It only takes a minute, but it can make a big difference in how your message is received. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Also, double-check: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • You\u2019ve addressed the right person (especially if you\u2019re copying or forwarding emails)\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • You\u2019ve attached the correct files (if needed)\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • You haven\u2019t left any important details out (like deadlines, dates or questions)\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                A well-written email shows that you\u2019ve taken care and put thought into your communication, and that earns you respect, even before they hit reply.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Bonus Tip: Keep it respectful, even if you\u2019re frustrated.\u00a0
                If you\u2019re chasing a late response or handling an issue, stay calm and respectful. A good rule of thumb: if you wouldn\u2019t say it in person, don\u2019t type it. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                7. Respect their time, get better help\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Remember, your tutors and lecturers are often balancing a full teaching load, their own research and hundreds of students, all while trying to maintain a bit of work\u2013life balance too. Don\u2019t expect instant replies, especially outside of business hours or on weekends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                To give yourself (and your tutor) the best chance of getting a helpful response, email well in advance, not the night before an assignment is due. Respectful, timely communication goes a long way and helps build a positive relationship with your academic staff.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                 
                Uni is the perfect place to build habits for your future career, and good communication is part of that. Email like a pro now and future you will thank you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Mastering how to write professional emails at uni sets you up for future success. This guide covers greetings, sign-offs, tone and more, so you can learn to communicate clearly, respectfully and confidently every time. Reading time | 4 minutes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4466,"featured_media":23446,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"4677,6544,6403,14599,6654,6677","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_oasis-categories":0,"footnotes":""},"oasis-categories":[146,147],"class_list":["post-29021","oasis-news","type-oasis-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","oasis-categories-student-life","oasis-categories-study-skills"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"banner":{"image":false}}},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/INT-laptop-friends-article-1000x500.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Mikaela","last_name":"Zuiderduyn","display_name":"Mikaela Zuiderduyn"},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-24 17:14:39","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/29021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oasis-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4466"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/29021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-categories?post=29021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}